Written by Kate Kennedy
Perhaps you’ve already heard about IPL but keep hearing about the BBL Forever Young. Maybe an overheard conversation at the gym or a comment on Facebook has you wondering if the rumors are true: Does a BBL Forever Young actually make your skin look years younger?
Stanford University recently published a study concluding BroadBand Light directly influences the expression of younger skin on a molecular level. As we age, the collagen in our skin begins to degrade, and we lose that youthful luster. There are many causes for collagen loss: Sun damage, genes, and environmental factors. With this study, BroadBand Light treatments have been scientifically proven to change the expression of genes associated with the aging process to more closely resemble young skin.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) has been a commonly used treatment since its development in the 1970s. Laser treatments began with hair removal and gradually expanded to removing brown spots and veins. IPL proved effective in the reduction of pigmentation, but it has shown minimal effect on texture and the collagen in one’s skin.
Sciton, a leading provider of advanced lasers in the aesthetic medical industry, introduced BroadBand Light (BBL) to improve on IPL’s limitations. Similar to IPL, the thermal energy targets the melanocyte (dark spots), hair follicle, redness, or vascularity (veins). With BBL, however, multiple passes in a range of wavelengths and levels are used, allowing the clinician to adjust the strength of treatment according to the exact needs of the patient. With this freedom, multiple areas can be treated in one session, all skin types can be catered to, and progressive settings allow for more energy to be put into the skin, enhancing efficacy.
Stanford’s study found that BBL’s Forever Young treatment not only improves pigmentation but spurs the formation of new collagen and elastin in the skin, essentially restoring your glow. This advancement allows for a clearer and a more even skin tone, but also causes the skin to reverse its aging process.
Understandably, the idea of bringing higher energy wavelengths into the body can cause some uncertainty, but you have no reason to worry. Skin, the largest organ in our body, is self healing. The BBL heat introduced to the skin is non-invasive, and with it, damaged, or aged skin repairs and rebuilds. By generating new collagen and elastin, a fresh skin reveals itself on a molecular and surface level.
